Meta, TikTok face scrutiny over potential lapses in Australia’s child social media ban

Regulator eSafety says platforms lack safeguards to stop under-16s creating accounts, with some letting kids repeatedly try age checks until they succeed.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 30: In this photo illustration, social media networking apps are displayed on a phone screen on November 30, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. Australia has recently enacted a groundbreaking law prohibiting individuals under the age of 16 from accessing social media platforms, marking one of the strictest regulations of its kind globally. This legislation, which holds social media companies accountable for enforcing the ban with potential fines of up to AUD 50 million, aims to protect young users from online dangers such as bullying and exploitation, reflecting a significant shift in how governments address youth safety in the digital age. (Photo Illustration by Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images)

Australia’s online safety regulator is investigating Meta Platforms Inc., Snap Inc., TikTok and YouTube for potentially failing to comply with the country’s social media ban for under-16s, in the first formal assessment of Big Tech’s response to the world-first crackdown.

In its first compliance report on Tuesday, eSafety said it has “significant concerns” about the platforms’ adherence to the law, and major gaps remain in their policing measures. There aren’t enough safeguards to stop under-16s creating new accounts, while some platforms are allowing underage kids to repeatedly attempt the same age-check methods until they’re successful, the regulator said. The law took effect Dec. 10, 2025.

The assessment opens the door to fines of as much as A$49.5 million ($34 million), and eSafety said it has started gathering evidence for possible action. The report underlines concerns that children are finding ways to get around age checks, and that technology firms are reluctant to stop them.

Read More: Australia’s Social Media Ban Meets a Wave of Teen Workarounds

The report comes just days after Meta and Alphabet Inc.’s Google were found liable for a 20-year-old US woman’s mental health struggles, which she said were caused by her addiction to social media, and ordered to pay damages. The verdict has raised concerns social media companies are facing a ‘Big Tobacco’ moment — a potential crack in their shield from legal responsibility for what happens on their platforms.

ESafety said it’s aiming to finalize at least some of its probes and decide on any enforcement action by the middle of the year. It’s investigating Facebook and Instagram — both owned by Meta — Snapchat, TikTok and Google-owned YouTube, it said.

“These platforms have the capability to comply today and we certainly expect companies operating in Australia to comply with our safety laws,” eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said in a statement. “They can choose to do so or face escalating consequences, including profound reputational erosion with governments and consumers globally.”

In a statement, Meta said it’s committed to complying with the ban and working constructively with eSafety and the government. “We’ve also been clear that accurately determining age online is a challenge for the whole industry,” Meta said.

Read More: How Does Australia’s Social Media Ban for Kids Work?: QuickTake

In some cases, children are being prompted to prove they are over 16 even when they have already declared they are underage, the regulator said. For any successful enforcement, evidence must establish the platform has not taken reasonable steps to prevent children aged under 16 from having an account.

While there are fewer under-16s with social media accounts than there were four months ago, it’s clear significant numbers of children aged under 16 are still on social media, eSafety said.

This report is auto-generated from Bloomberg  news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.